Beast Evolution Forge - Chapter 123

Chapter 123: Bad Memory
The questioning chamber was disgusting with shadows dancing on the walls as Vell entered. The two Dragon Section scouts knelt on the floor, held in place by his kids. Their black uniforms bore the telltale dragon insignia, now torn and dirtied from their capture.

“Welcome to The Broken Empire,” he said, his voice echoing in the chamber. “I trust my daughters have been… hospitable?”

One of the scouts spat on the ground. “We won’t tell you anything.”

Sia’s ever-present smile widened. “Oh, they’re funny, Dad! Can we play with them some more?”

“Now, now,” he circled the captives slowly. “Let’s be civilized. You’re here as our guests… uninvited guests who tried to infiltrate my territory, but guests nonetheless.” His eyes glowed red in the darkness. “Tell me, what does Commander Ryu hope to learn by sending his pets to spy on us?”

The second scout, younger than his companion, trembled slightly. “He… he said you were building weapons. Preparing to attack the other sections.”

“Weapons?” He laughed, the sound sending chills through the room. “Look around you. My weapon is knowledge, training and opportunity.” He created a small ball of compressed mana, letting it float between his fingers. “But if Ryu wants to see weapons…”

The mana ball expanded suddenly, filling the room with crackling energy before condensing back to its tiny size. Both scouts flinched.

“Sir,” Ada’s voice came from the doorway. “The generals are assembled.”

“Excellent.” He turned to his daughters. “Keep our guests comfortable. We’ll continue this conversation later.”

In the meeting room, the five generals sat around a large table, maps and reports spread before them. Yenna, as head of Intelligence, spoke first.

“The Dragon Section’s movements suggest they’re planning a three-pronged attack. Their main force will likely come through the mountain pass, while smaller units attempt to breach our defenses from the east and west.”

“They still think we’re weak,” Ada added, her mana swirling agitatedly. “They don’t know about our barrier system, or the true extent of our training programs.”

“Let them think that,” Vell said, studying the map. “In fact, I want to encourage it. Yenna, make sure our ‘security’ becomes a bit more… lax. Let some information leak about resource shortages, training accidents. Make us look vulnerable.”

“A trap?” the Economy general asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Precisely.” His smile was predatory. “When they strike, thinking we’re easy prey, they’ll find something very different waiting for them.” He turned to Ada. “How many of our warriors have mastered the compressed mana technique?”

“Over three hundred now, with another hundred close to achieving it. Alex has become particularly proficient – he’s teaching the newer students and other few showing great potential too.”

“Good, and our special projects?”

The Infrastructure general cleared his throat. “The underground shelters are complete, stocked with enough supplies for the entire population. The emergency teleport points are operational, though they drain significant mana to activate.”

“And the corruption research?”

Ada’s eyes lit up. “Breakthrough there, actually. We’ve found a way to temporarily infuse normal mana with corrupted properties. It’s not as powerful as natural corruption, but it gives our warriors an edge they’re not expecting.”

[Alert: Sara is approaching.]

‘Perfect timing.’

“Send her in,” he commanded the guards who were confused at first until they heard the knock.

She entered, her demeanor markedly different from her earlier rebellious days. She carried herself with purpose now, a data crystal in her hand.

“Sir,” she bowed slightly. “My observers have noticed unusual movement along the northern trade routes. Dragon Section caravans, supposedly carrying ordinary goods, but…” She placed the crystal on the table, projecting images of heavily guarded wagons.

“Weapons,” Yenna confirmed, studying the images. “Disguised as merchant shipments.”

“Thank you, Sara,” he said with a smile. “Your network continues to prove invaluable.”

She met his eyes steadily. “I still don’t trust you completely…but I trust what I’ve seen – what you’ve built here. If they mean to destroy that…”

“Then we defend it, right?” He stood, addressing all present. “The Dragon Section thinks they’re hunting prey, but they’ve wandered into a predator’s den. Let them come. The Broken Empire will show them what true strength looks like.”

As the meeting concluded, Vell returned to the questioning chamber. The scouts looked up fearfully as he entered.

“I’ve decided to send you back to your commander with a message.” His corrupted mana filled the room, but instead of attacking, it formed images – scenes of the town, of players training, living, thriving. “Show him what you’ve seen here. Tell him what happens when you give people a chance to grow, to become something more than what others decided they should be.”

He leaned close to the terrified scouts. “And tell him… the broken ones are broken no longer.”

After they were escorted out, Mia appeared from the shadows. “They’ll run straight back to Ryu.”

“Of course they will.” His eyes glowed with anticipation. “And they’ll tell him exactly what I want him to hear.” He looked out over his town, where lights twinkled in the growing dusk. “The Dragon Section’s time is coming to an end. They just don’t know it yet.”

In the training grounds below, Alex led his students through sword forms, their movements precise and powerful. Ada worked with another group, teaching them to control and direct their mana with deadly accuracy.

—

Later that night, Vell sat in his private chambers with his closest confidants. Mia and Sia had reverted to their slime forms, curled up contentedly on his shoulders. Yenna lounged on a couch while Wren stood by the window, her usual stern expression in place. The beast girl sat cross-legged on the floor, her tail swishing thoughtfully.

“They’re all so happy,” Sia chirped, her form vibrating with excitement. “The town is nothing like what you described from before, Dad!”

“Yeah,” Mia added. “Hard to believe this was once ruled by…” She trailed off, feeling her father’s mana darken suddenly.

For a moment the room was silent, Yenna who was not paying attention spoke without realizing. “Speaking of the biggest section…” she mused, breaking the silence. “They’ve been surprisingly quiet through all of this.”

Vell’s relaxed demeanor instantly changed. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as his eyes flickered with a dangerous light. His daughters sensed the shift in his mood, their slime forms rippling with concern.

“Of course they have,” he said, his voice carrying an edge that made even Wren tense up. “The almighty Imperial Section doesn’t concern itself with the squabbles of ‘lesser’ territories.” He spat out the word ‘lesser’ like it was poison.

The beast girl’s ears twitched, picking up on the sudden hostility in his tone. “You’ve encountered them before?”

A dark chuckle escaped his lips. “Oh yes. Their precious players made quite sure I’d never forget it.” His mana began to swirl agitatedly around him, making the shadows in the room dance. “They didn’t even take our fight seriously. Treated it like they were disciplining an unruly child.”

Mia and Sia exchanged glances, their usually playful forms growing still. They remembered that day – one of the rare times they’d seen their father truly shaken.

“Dad…” Sia began, her voice uncharacteristically subdued.

“It doesn’t matter now,” he cut her off, though his clenched fist and the crackling mana around it suggested otherwise. “Let them stay in their garden, looking down on everyone else, their time will come.”

Wren raised an eyebrow. “You’re planning something.”

“Always.” His smile returned, but it held no warmth. “The Dragon Section is just the beginning. Once they fall, the others will scramble to understand how the ‘weakest’ territory could defeat one of the strongest in this region. They’ll be so focused on studying our visible strengths…” He held up a hand, letting corrupted mana dance between his fingers. “They’ll miss the real threat entirely.”

“The corruption research,” Yenna realized, sitting up straighter. “That’s why you’ve been pushing it so hard.”

“Their power comes from pure mana mastery,” he explained, his eyes glowing brighter. “It’s all about perfect control, perfect form. But corrupted mana…” His smile widened. “Well, let’s just say it has a way of disrupting such perfection.”

The beast girl’s tail stopped swishing as understanding dawned. “This isn’t just about building a better society, is it?”

“Oh, but it is,” he said, standing to walk to the window. His daughters adjusted their positions on his shoulders, their forms rippling with anticipation. “We’re creating something better, something stronger. The fact that it will also bring down those who looked down on us…” His reflection in the glass showed a predatory grin. “That’s just a pleasant bonus.”

“The Imperial Section’s defenses are legendary,” Wren pointed out. “Even with all our progress-”

“We won’t need to attack them directly,” he interrupted. “When the Dragon Section falls, when our methods spread to other territories, when players everywhere start learning to harness corrupted mana…” He turned back to face his confidants. “Their perfect, controlled world will crumble piece by piece, and then…” His eyes blazed with dark purpose. “They will have no choice but to face me again. And this time, I won’t be the one learning a lesson.”

The room fell silent as his words sank in. The beast girl’s tail resumed its thoughtful swishing, while Yenna and Wren exchanged knowing looks.

‘He didn’t take them serious as well, maybe he expected to win without using a lot of power? well, whatever the case, I feel sorry for them.’ Yenna thought.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” Mia said softly, nuzzling against his cheek. “This time will be different.”

“Yes,” he agreed, this time, I’m not just fighting for myself.” His mana calmed, though the dangerous gleam remained in his eyes. “I’m fighting for every ‘broken one’ they’ve ever looked down on. And when we’re done…” He smiled, thinking of their perfect, practiced techniques failing against corrupted mana. “They’ll learn… all of them.”